Patient register would help reduce harm from ketamine use, says advisory council A report from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs recommended a patient register of legitimate, off-label use of ketamine to enable patient safety monitoring and report outcomes from long-term use of the drug.…
Drug consumption room pilot records more than 1,000 injecting episodes in a month According to latest service data on The Thistle, a drug consumption facility in Glasgow, 560 people used the site's services more than 10,000 times in 2025.…
No clear evidence that cannabis-based medicines are successful treatment for chronic pain The Cochrane review authors said that available evidence from the studies that they analysed was “limited in both methodological rigour and clinical relevance”.…
Addiction warnings on opioid and z-drug packaging to be strengthened The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said that patient information leaflets for gabapentinoids, benzodiazepines and z-drugs will include clearer definitions of dependence and addiction.…
From pain to wellbeing: why deprescribing might be the most powerful prescription of all Pharmacist Shilpa Patel shares how staff at her GP practice worked to reduce high-dose opioid prescribing among patients who had taken the drugs for years.…
Health news round-up: winter pressures, weight-loss resolutions and well being for the new year and beyond A weekly summary of important developments in health news that you may have missed and what we can expect going into 2026.…
Government proposes defibrillator-style naloxone access The emergency opioid treatment could also be made available without a prescription at hostels and homeless outreach services, government proposals say.…
Government to consult on widening access to take-home naloxone ‘before year end’ In December 2024, UK law was amended to make it legal for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to provide take-home naloxone kits without a prescription in an effort to widen access.…
Seven ways pharmacy can improve outcomes for those impacted by substance use Practical examples of and advice on how pharmacists can improve the care of individuals impacted by substance use. …
How to implement a naloxone supply approach in hospitals An overview of how the distribution of naloxone in hospitals can be implemented to reduce drug-related deaths and overdoses in vulnerable communities.…
